**Need Setup HELP** with Classic Amiga 2000 HARD DISK (Bridgeboard)

[wbrejnia]

Perfect.  That answers everything at this point.
 Thanks.

[Pat the Cat]

Manufacturer's Wiki for product here. Links to product manual (German French only) at bottom.

http://wiki.icomp.de/wiki/Indivision_ECS

Capacitor to move is C225, near Paula chip. Your plan sounds good, for moving it.

Indivision  ECS  will work even on A1000 with skinny Agnus even, just no ECS modes  without fat ECS Agnus. So should be good when fitted to your A2000, you get all  current screen modes, even interlaced, displayed properly on ANY 15 pin  monitior. No software required, it should just do it.

 Good idea  to fit 15 pin SVGA backplate to machine (backplate with right sized  hole), for easier connection to SVGA 15 pin monitor.

[wbrejnia]

Manufacturer's Wiki for product here. Links to product manual (German French only) at bottom.

http://wiki.icomp.de/wiki/Indivision_ECS

Capacitor to move is C225, near Paula chip. Your plan sounds good, for moving it.

Indivision  ECS  will work even on A1000 with skinny Agnus even, just no ECS modes  without fat ECS Agnus. So should be good when fitted to your A2000, you get all  current screen modes, even interlaced, displayed properly on ANY 15 pin  monitior. No software required, it should just do it.

 Good idea  to fit 15 pin SVGA backplate to machine (backplate with right sized  hole), for easier connection to SVGA 15 pin monitor.

Thanks for confirming all above.  Sounds like I'm all setup for basic/normal stuff that I want.

So what would I get with a FAT ECS chip.
I see a few really cheap available (8375) which my Rev 4 Board didn't get, but Rev 6 Board did.  Would this bring me closer Rev 6 board without changing the board.

But then main question is, what would I get with the FAT 8375 Agnus chip with ECS?  More resolution, or just the performance improvement (Something might need, when chips not around?)

Or do I risk a Partial Chip upgrade (not upgrading Denise) on a Older Rev board (as a incompatibility challenge, I don't want to face).

Another issue I see is I've removed many chips in the past, but not one like the Agnus.  Don't have the extractor tool.  Delicate prying might be possible. Don't know.

[Dandy]

...
But no 5.25 360K which I need for Amiga BB PC.

So I need to find the Paramater for a 5.25" 360K, and then just PUSH "Create a Empty Floppy"
...

According to the "Common floppy disk formats, logical characteristics by platform"-table (scroll roughly 2/3 down til you reach the "IBM PC compatibles[14]"-section in this table), the paramaters for a 5.25" 360K disk are:

Code: [Select]


Platform  Size  Density  Bytes/sect.  Sectors/track  Tracks/side  sides  Capacity  RPM  Encoding  Note

IBM PC  5¼   double   512  9 40    2  360 KB   300  MFM ./.
compatib. inch           [NB 11]


[Dandy]

...
The lamp has a transformer in it.  At the base.
Emitting electromagnetic waves!!!

It's been frying (Degaussing) my disks  when I used the Lamp too Close to them.

Even fried the last two disks INSIDE the DRIVE when I put that lamp on top.
...

Go to AmiNet and download DiskSafe.lha, DiskSalv.lha, DiskSalv4Guide.lha, ffstest.lha, 2b_RecoverRDB.lha and possibly others as well - just read the .readme's...

[Dandy]

...
Flickerfixers just WORK. They fix all  the Amigas output into what a 31KHz display expects.
...

Hum - it's roughly 15 yrs. ago when I used Amiga Monitors and such, but as far as I can remember, I not only needed a Flickerfixer, but also a Scandoubler to connect VGA Monitors to the Amiga output.

[wbrejnia]

According to the "Common floppy disk formats, logical characteristics by platform"-table (scroll roughly 2/3 down til you reach the "IBM PC compatibles[14]"-section in this table), the paramaters for a 5.25" 360K disk are:
..

Thanks Dandy,

Not sure if you caught the recent updates but I solved the Amiga PC Hard drive boot issue with a replacement Seagate RLL controller, so I no longer need the the Gotek Floppy boot option that I was considering.

SO IN GENERAL..... I have everything I need, or everything is on the way to complete my build of a A2000 DemoSystem.  (SCSI-Controlller/HD/Memory, Indivision-For-VGA, SCART-For-HDMI, Kickstart-Switcher, etc).

The fun part is about to begin.

I've decided to not modify the A2000 in any drastic way (ie Rev 4 motherboard changes, or changes to the Amiga Case for the extra control/features I wish to add).

The plan is to hook up everything with tidy modular wiring and I'll be building what I call an Amiga Sidekick Box.   The purpose will be to bring all (wiring/Swtiches-buttons/LCD-displays/ClockBattery, etc) into a nice External Case that will compliment the Amiga, not make it look like a hack (Internally and Externally).

This project is on Temporary hold till all parts arrive.

However once I build the A2000, I do plan on doing a performance comparison on the various Storage Drives I have.  (JUST FOR FUN)

I'll compare I/O Performance:

----> SCSI Drive On Amiga Side
----> RLL Drive on PC Side
----> PC Drive off Amiga Hard file in SCSI Drive (thru BB)
----> Amiga Drive of RLL partition in RLL Drive (Thru BB) [DJmount] [Jdisk]
----> Aread/Awrite and possibly Cross-Dos.
----> And further compare with Lo-Tech ISA/IDE (USB Drive, Flash Drive), and if possible (Floppy disks, Gotek).

[wbrejnia]

MOTHERBOARD REMOVED (For Two Touch ups)

To my surprise the Amigakit order arrived from UK.  I was still waiting for a tracking #.   No Complaints!

Even the SCART converter, ordered locally hasn't arrived.

So to install the Indivision ECS that Cap had to be moved, and my idea of clipping the leads was not possible.  Cap too close to board.

So I took on the challenge of removing the MOBO.
Bit intimidating, but I took all precautions.  Static strap, Grounding, etc.

-> I used Copper De-soldering Braid to remove the CAP properly and have fresh clean solder pads.
-> Got a nice low Profile equivalent capacitor.  (It would have fit upright, but kind of tight, so decided to go sideways)



I still have to test on a few monitors (LCDs)
Looks great so far.

-> I still will test/compare the [SCART-> HDMI converter]  ( But it will go back)

Really happy with the space I'll have on my desk, to continue work with a Flat Screen.

-> And since I had the board out, I improved the battery area with some Gold Stakes I had lying around.  Future hookup to Coin Cell Battery.



I was a bit worried during the whole process that I may damage something.
So when I re-assembled everything and Amiga Powered up with Indivision, it was a sigh of relief.
NEVER WANT TO DO THAT AGAIN (Taking out MOBO, Soldering, etc)!  Not when so much is at Stake (my whole project).

Onward....

[wbrejnia]

NEXT CHALLENGE (Final Amiga 2000 Hardware/Setup & Chassis)

So here is everything the A2000 will contain except the ROM switcher.

I want easy access to everything including to SD Card, Gotek USB/Controls, LED's etc..  

Time to get creative with wiring and I'm thinking some kind of External SideKick Box.



Might be a good time to check on Power Usage, Heat, etc.

I am considering having some control to turn things off that I don't want running all the time.
---> For that I'm thinking some Automated/Switch Logic using the Ardiuno<->MultiRelayPack
---> And some of those Fun Arcade-Type Buttons I have.
---> Some things (ie Gotek Board, LEDs, SDcardReader, Switches,  etc) Mounted (in/on) the Amiga SideKick Box.

[wbrejnia]

What Kickstart ROM do I need for this Amiga 2000?

I am a bit confused about ROMS.

I know I need at least Kickstart 1.3 for my GVP-SCSI drive to Autoboot.

I have:



2x KICKSTART 1.2 (315093-01 ROM), ORIGINAL ROM IN AMIGA2000

1x KICKSTART Version 40.63 (O.S.3.1), which I bought a few years ago on Ebay.
-----> It seems to work with WB1.3, and will work with Amiga 3.1 OS (Not sure if will work with Bridgeboard, but that is what ROM switcher is for)

Do I need a true KICKSTART 1.3 ROM (315093-02)?

[guest11527]

What Kickstart ROM do I need for this Amiga 2000?
Do I need a true KICKSTART 1.3 ROM (315093-02)?

No. Actually, the 3.1 is the best option for the A2000, and it will just work fine with the GVP. Some games might probably fail with the 3.1, but there is potentially a fix for such problems available already.

[Dandy]

Thanks Dandy,

Not sure if you caught the recent updates but I solved the Amiga PC Hard drive boot issue with a replacement Seagate RLL controller, so I no longer need the the Gotek Floppy boot option that I was considering.
...

Yeah - read it in one of the subsequent postings.
Anyway - you can keep the information just for the record.
Don't know how serious you meant it when you wrote that you possibly want to write a "How To..." - in this case the info might come in handy for people who have to rely on those 5 1/4" floppy disks and desperately need the parameters...

[wbrejnia]

Yeah - read it in one of the subsequent postings.
Anyway - you can keep the information just for the record.
Don't know how serious you meant it when you wrote that you possibly want to write a "How To..." - in this case the info might come in handy for people who have to rely on those 5 1/4" floppy disks and desperately need the parameters...

I still might try the 5 1/4" BLANK DISK trial on the PC using Gotek HxC.
But later when I run out of things to do.

I may need that BB-PC GotekHxC Floppy boot option anyway, if I can't get Seagate HD/Lo-Tech Booting with Amiga OS3.1 (it barely works with WB1.2 and a very specific version of Janus)

I still have lots of pieces to put together, both HW to build and then all the many installs of OS.

This next phase of this build is going to take weeks if not months.

I will only post significant progress, or problem for everyone to help me with.

[wbrejnia]

No. Actually, the 3.1 is the best option for the A2000, and it will just work fine with the GVP. Some games might probably fail with the 3.1, but there is potentially a fix for such problems available already.

Perfect. Thanks for confirming.

I will have the ROM switcher and Kickstart 1.2 for OLD games.

I bought that Gotek before I got the GVP-SCSI, so it will be used for Floppy booting of OLD Floppy based Games. (I like it that way, rather than play with WHDload, etc)

Plus I only have a 68000 CPU, and I hear that Quit in WHDLoad doesn't work, without at least a 86020).  So reboots needed anyway.

With Kickstart 3.1/OS31 it will compliment the setup for all other things.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Plus I only have a 68000 CPU, and I hear that Quit in WHDLoad doesn't work, without at least a 86020).  So reboots needed anyway.

68010. They're like $5 bucks on eBay. But your choice, lol. :lol:

[wbrejnia]

68010. They're like $5 bucks on eBay. But your choice, lol. :lol:

I will eventually.
I was originally worried that some RARE bug might be introduced (which would drive me crazy), but from this write up it appears upgrade to 68010 is 100% harmless. http://www.amigareport.com/ar402/feature1.html

Is this the one I need (just to be sure)  MC68010P10

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/MOTOROLA-MC68010P10-CDIP-64-Microcontroller-Microprocessor-Chip-/272601508612?hash=item3f7850eb04:g:J7AAAOSwHMJYDknf

or even cheaper https://www.aliexpress.com/item/MC68010P10/32428831542.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.9.TfBqsq&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_2_10065_10130_10068_10139_10136_10137_10138_10060_10062_10141_10056_10055_10054_10059_10099_129_10103_10102_10096_10148_10052_10053_10050_10107_10142_10051_10143_10084_10083_10080_10082_10081_10110_10111_10112_10113_10114_10037_10032_10078_10079_10077_10073_10070_10123_10124,searchweb201603_6,afswitch_1,ppcSwitch_5,single_sort_0_default&btsid=023d2a15-0fad-4c79-94dc-0925b14d28a7&algo_expid=281f2954-64ec-432d-a240-10f8e71b72c0-1&algo_pvid=281f2954-64ec-432d-a240-10f8e71b72c0